Carbondale connections helped new voice of SIU football develop

New SIU football play-by-play voice Luke Martin (left) will begin his tenure calling Salukis football games Sept. 2 against Austin Peay with Mike Trude. (Photo courtesy Luke Martin on Twitter)

By Barry Bottino

Luke Martin has lived in Carbondale for a matter of weeks.

His connections to Southern Illinois University’s athletic teams, however, go back years.

The new voice of SIU football will call his first game on radio Sept. 2 when the Salukis host Austin Peay, a reality that still surprises the 30-year-old Martin.

“I would’ve never told you that I could have ended up in this spot,” Martin said.

After six years in Terre Haute, Ind., calling games for Indiana State University, Martin is taking over for legendary SIU voice Mike Reis, who announced May 31 that he was leaving the job after 44 years.

Reis announced via Twitter: “It’s simply time, friends, and it is totally my call.”

Martin was among many who were taken back by the news.

“I felt Mike was going to go for a while longer,” he said.

Someone to lean on

While calling games for a school 189 miles northeast of Carbondale and in the same conference, Martin built an admiration for Reis.

“I got to see up close and personal how much care Mike put into the job, and also how the fans and the school embraced him,” he said. “Mike was appreciated because of the work he did. That’s what drew me (to the job).”

As a young broadcaster, Martin leaned on Reis, his fellow Missouri Valley Football Conference colleague, regularly over the past six years.

“We’ve had a really good relationship,” Martin said. “He’s always been someone that if I needed something, I could call him or text him. He would always respond.”

The foundation that Reis built with fans is something Martin hopes to emulate.

“You want someone that’s connected,” he said. “That’s what Mike was for 44 years. SIU fans don’t owe me anything. I’ve got to earn it.

“How I can earn that respect and trust is by doing the job the way I feel it should be done, with an open mind, an open heart, by being visible, being present and being knowledgeable.”

Carbondale connection, via Muncie

As an undergraduate student at Ball State University, Martin was a junior when he befriended a freshman who later made his way through Carbondale as a TV broadcaster.

“The closest friend I made in college was Connor Onion,” he said.

A few years later, Onion was the Salukis’ TV voice. Today, he broadcasts multiple sports for ESPN and the Big Ten Network.

When Onion was in Carbondale, “we would talk about once a week,” Martin said. “I thought, ‘That sounds like a really good place to work.”

Jack of all trades

Martin was responsible at Indiana State for various radio and TV broadcasts. His role also included video work for the stadium scoreboards, recruiting photo and video shoots and videos on social media.

On his personal website, Martin has a camera in his hand in photos just as much as he appears in front of a microphone.

“I filled a lot of different jobs,” he said. “I can do more than just call a game. I knew the next opportunity I was going to look at, though, was a director of broadcasting role (his title at SIU).”

In his first few weeks on the job, Martin has been busy posting interviews and practice footage on social media along with building relationships with SIU’s players.

Those relationships are something he cherishes about the profession, whether it’s a star player on the field or a fan he meets at a grocery store.

The opportunity to tell the stories of the athletes he watches compete is a pillar of the job.

“It becomes a part of you,” he said. “That’s what I love so much about it.”

In his role, Martin said, he is often around coaches and players more than they’re around their own families.

“Being the voice of a school is much more than calling games,” he said. “You’re the bridge between the team, the university and the fans. At times, you’re the bridge between the player and their parents. That’s a big responsibility.”

NFL connection

One of the relationships that Martin values most is with former Indiana State linebacker Jonas Griffith, who now plays for the Denver Broncos.

“It’s much more than a friendship,” Martin said.

In 2017, Griffith saw first-hand the dedication that Martin showed for the job.

Heading into the final game of what became an 0-11 season, Indiana State had to adjust its practice schedule because of class conflicts.

“They had to practice at 5 a.m.,” Martin said. “It’s freezing cold. I remember walking out to practice with my camera and Jonas says, ‘Why are you here?’”

Martin now attends multiple Broncos games a year to see Griffith.

Just as being prepared is paramount for athletes, it also means plenty to Martin.

“I take huge pride in my preparation,” he said. “I want fans to take away … that No. 1, this guy sounds extremely confident. No. 2, he is extremely relatable, and No. 3, he knows what he’s talking about.”

Barry Bottino is a co-founder of Prairie State Pigskin and a 19-year veteran of three Illinois newspapers. He has covered college athletics since 1995.

Find us on social media!

Twitter: https://twitter.com/PSPigskin

Facebook: Prairie State Pigskin